Two Haldia-bound vessels carrying 26,500 tonnes of sugar are waiting at the Sandheads, the mouth of the river Hooghly, since June 10. The sources pointed out that the vessels were likely to berth at Haldia dock within two or three days.

According to a leading clearing agent at Calcutta, most of the sugar imports are coming from Thailand and China because Pakistan stopped exporting sugar to India from the end of May.

Sugar is also imported from Mexico, and a Haldia-bound vessel carrying 14,500 tonnes of sugar from that country has been waiting at the Sandheads.According to a shipping source, the imported sugar meets the demand of Uttar Pradesh and adjoining states as well as West Bengal.

However, the source said, this timea portion of the imported sugar is probably finding its way to Bangladesh.

In container handling, the CPT's Calcutta dock handled over 3,190 TEUs of containers, of which 1,165 TEUs went to Singapore, Colombo and other ports. In the previous week, it had handled 1,925 TEUs.

The throughput of POL (products) at CDS dipped to 14,175 tonnes from 39,179 tonnes the previous week. Out of this, superior kerosene oil accounted for 12,675 tonnes and lube oil 1,500 tonnes.

However, at the Haldia oil jetty, throughput of POL (products) was 95,500 tonnes, of which 19,000 tonnes went to Port Blair, Vizag etc.

On the coal front, Haldia dock handled 80,000 tonnes of coking coal and three consignments of thermal coal went to Tuticorin port for Tamilnadu Electricity Board.

Throughput of crude at Haldia dipped to 56,000 tonnes during the period under review from 80,000 tonnes in the previous period.

Import of edible oil like RBD palmolein, rapeseed oil was 11,724 tonnes at Haldia dock. Besides, Budge Budge jetty ofCalcutta dock handled 4,661 tonnes of edible oil during this period.

St. Cloud, a ship carrying 14,937 tonnes of peas, arrived at the Diamond Harbour jetty of the Calcutta dock.

Albatross-3, a vessel from Chittagong, arrived at Calcutta dock for scrapping.

Among other commodities, Calcutta dock handled over 15,000 tonnes of steel coils, steel sheets, rails etc and 1,140 tonnes of palm fatty acid and Haldia dock handled 3,437 tonnes of liquid petroleum bitumen.